Do I have to pay for my health insurance while on FMLA leave?
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law which provides employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for qualifying medical and family reasons. In Texas, employees are entitled to the same rights and protections provided under this federal law. When an employee takes FMLA leave, their employer is not required to pay them for the time they are on leave. However, employers are generally required to maintain the employee’s health insurance during the leave of absence, and continue to pay their share of the employee’s health insurance premiums. This means that the employee will usually still be covered by their employer’s health insurance while on FMLA leave – they just won’t be receiving a pay check. The employee may be responsible for paying the other half of the health insurance premium while on FMLA leave, or they may choose to use other means to pay for their health insurance coverage. For instance, they may choose to pay for insurance through COBRA. Under COBRA, the employee will be responsible for the full cost of their health insurance premium, including the portion that would have been paid by the employer. It’s important to note that if the employee is unable to pay for the premium, they may risk losing their health insurance coverage. In summary, employers are not required to pay employees for time taken off on FMLA leave, but they are usually responsible for maintaining their employee’s health insurance and contributing to the cost of the premium. Additionally, the employee may be responsible for paying the other half of the premium.
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